Editorial: From Theory to Practice

IF 3.2 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH Open Learning Pub Date : 2023-06-06 DOI:10.1080/02680513.2023.2216711
C. Douce, Charlotte Stevens
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Abstract

Welcome to the third issue of Open Learning for 2023. The informal theme for this issue is the transition from theory to practice, and the role that theory plays in distance learning. Significantly, this issue has a very international feel to it. Contributors are from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, South Korea, the UK and the USA. The first paper by Ukwoma and Ngulube (2021) from the University of South Africa and University of Nigeria, respectively, identifies trends and patterns of theory use in open and distance learning research by examining research articles published in open and distance journals between 2009 and 2018, including Open Learning. The authors analysed more than 1300 journal articles, applying a content analysis methodology, to discover that 385 theories were used in 366 articles. The theories are from the disciplines of education, social sciences and information systems, with some of the most cited theories being transactional distance theory, social constructivism, activity theory and community of practice theory. It is interesting to note that the relationship between transactional distance theory and activity theory has also been explored within an earlier Open Learning article by Kang and Gyorke (2008). The article within this issue is worth studying since it provides useful guidance to researchers about the role of theory in the generation of knowledge, highlighting that theory is ‘one of the pillars of research’ and helps to ‘explain how things work and why’. The discussion about the differences between models, concepts and theories is thought provoking. In some respects, this first paper sets the scene for those that follow. The second paper, by Black (2020), Bissessar and Boolaky, from the University of Liverpool, UK, and the University of Lincoln, UK, shares a critical literature review of the use of the PsyCap (psychological capital) model in relation to university students’ learning. Psychological Capital is a model normally used to understand persistence in the workplace; here, the authors bring to the forefront the model’s relevance in the context of the changing landscape of online learning. The review, conducted in 2019, provides a history of online education and pedagogy, as well as the role of the PsyCap model and its application in higher education. The value and originality of this article comes from what it brings together. A broad number of theories are referenced which can, of course, be useful with facilitating further research. Moving from the theoretical to the practical, Lange’s article (2021), focused on students studying at the Open Cyber University in South Korea, explores how personalised e-learning experiences within massive online learning classes can reduce the impact of cognitive load. Lange applies a quantitative survey method and analyses responses from over 2000 students. This survey facilitates the exploration of e-learning personalisation (ELP) from different perspectives and its correlation with different types of cognitive load: germane, intrinsic and extraneous. What is notable about this paper is how theory is used as a lens to analyse the results. It OPEN LEARNING: THE JOURNAL OF OPEN, DISTANCE AND E-LEARNING 2023, VOL. 38, NO. 3, 191–193 https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2023.2216711
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社论:从理论到实践
欢迎阅读《2023年开放学习》第三期。这个问题的非正式主题是从理论到实践的过渡,以及理论在远程学习中所起的作用。值得注意的是,这个问题有一种非常国际化的感觉。撰稿人来自加纳、尼日利亚、南非、韩国、英国和美国。分别来自南非大学和尼日利亚大学的Ukwoma和Ngulube(2021年)的第一篇论文,通过检查2009年至2018年期间在开放和远程期刊(包括开放学习)上发表的研究文章,确定了开放和远程学习研究中理论应用的趋势和模式。作者运用内容分析方法分析了1300多篇期刊文章,发现366篇文章中使用了385个理论。这些理论来自教育、社会科学和信息系统等学科,其中被引用最多的理论是交易距离理论、社会建构主义理论、活动理论和实践共同体理论。值得注意的是,交易距离理论和活动理论之间的关系也在Kang和Gyorke(2008)的早期开放学习文章中进行了探讨。这期中的文章值得研究,因为它为研究人员提供了关于理论在知识生成中的作用的有用指导,强调理论是“研究的支柱之一”,有助于“解释事物是如何运作的以及为什么”。关于模型、概念和理论之间差异的讨论发人深省。在某些方面,这第一篇论文为后面的文章奠定了基础。第二篇论文由来自英国利物浦大学和英国林肯大学的Black(2020)、bisessar和Boolaky撰写,他们分享了一篇关于在大学生学习中使用心理资本(PsyCap)模型的重要文献综述。心理资本是一种通常用于理解职场持久性的模型;在这里,作者将该模型在不断变化的在线学习环境中的相关性带到最前沿。该审查于2019年进行,提供了在线教育和教学法的历史,以及PsyCap模型的作用及其在高等教育中的应用。这篇文章的价值和原创性来自于它所汇集的内容。参考了大量的理论,当然,这些理论对促进进一步的研究是有用的。从理论到实践,Lange的文章(2021)专注于在韩国开放网络大学学习的学生,探讨了大规模在线学习课程中的个性化电子学习体验如何减少认知负荷的影响。Lange采用定量调查方法,分析了2000多名学生的反馈。本研究有助于从不同角度探索网络学习个性化(ELP)及其与不同类型的认知负荷(相关的、内在的和外在的)的相关性。本文值得注意的是如何将理论作为一个透镜来分析结果。It开放学习:开放、远程和电子学习学报,2023年,第38卷,第3期。3, 191-193 https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2023.2216711
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来源期刊
Open Learning
Open Learning EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-
CiteScore
10.00
自引率
12.50%
发文量
22
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